UNC Recruiting: Players to watch at Nike Peach Jam

Here are some of the players we expect Roy Williams and his staff to watch at the Nike Peach Jam which begins on Wednesday

One of the biggest AAU events of the calendar year is getting ready to tip off in South Carolina this week as some of the best players in the country will showcase their talent in front of college coaches, staffs, media members and NBA Scouts.

The Nike EYBL Peach Jam will run from July 11th-15th in North Augusta as teams have been participating in the EYBL AAU sessions to qualify for this tournament. Qualifying teams have been divided into four pools where they will battle it out over the five-day period to be crowned champs.

The tournament will begin at 5 p.m. Wednesday night and last late Sunday night.

Along the way, we will see several top high school basketball players showcase their talents including some big University of North Carolina recruits. We will also get to hear the latest updates on players recruitments as they talk to the media following some sessions.

For UNC, head coach Roy Williams and his staff are expected to be in attendance to watch some targets they hope will commit to play for the Tar Heels.

As for the tournament itself, we could be looking at a completely different event in 2019. A suggestion from the Rice Commission to adjust the college recruiting schedule could move the event to August and could be the last one that college coaches are allowed to attend.

Nothing is official yet and we will monitor it but let’s just enjoy this year’s event first.

Here’s who you should keep an eye on during the tournament:

Armando Bacot, 2019 (Team Takeover)

Bacot led Team Takeover to an impressive Spring EYBL finish and now they find themselves in the Peach Jam. The Virginia product just announced that he would be transferring schools to IMG Academy in Florida and is preparing for his senior year.

The forward/center is one of UNC’s top targets in the 2019 class and even though his recruitment has been silent of late, the Tar Heels appear to remain the favorites to land him. Expect Williams and his staff to watch Bacot during this tournament a lot.

Wendell Moore, 2019 (Team CP3)

Moore is a player that was once considered a strong lean for UNC until he received an offer from Duke in the Fall. We know that Moore will play his college basketball close to his home state of North Carolina as he has a final five of UNC, Duke, Wake Forest, N.C. State and South Carolina.

While the Tar Heels remain in contact with Moore, they opted not to watch him during a Spring evaluation period. That could signal how they feel about their chances to land him.

It will be interesting to see how much Williams watches Moore and if the recruit has anything notable to say following each day’s session. The thought is that UNC isn’t giving up on Moore but it’s not likely he will commit.

Cole Anthony, 2019 (PSA Cardinals)

The combo guard is one of the best recruits in the country and is coming off an impressive EYBL circuit in which he won the MVP award by D1Circuit.com.

Now he’s leading the PSA Cardinals into the Peach Jam and a lot of hype is surrounding Anthony’s play. The guard has begun to shoot up the recruiting boards in the 2019 class and is now the No. 3 ranked player according to 247 Sports. Anthony has a total of 11 offers but doesn’t have one just yet from UNC.

That could change during this July evaluation period as Williams could finally give him that offer.

Teams in Anthony’s recruitment include Duke, Louisville, Oregon, Kansas, and UCLA, all which have offered him. Kentucky has shown recent interest despite no offer yet.

Keion Brooks, 2019 (Spiece Indy Heat)

A big target in the 2019 class for the Tar Heels happens to play in the Midwest as Roy Williams is tapping the Indiana pipeline. Forward Keion Brooks will participate in the event with his AAU team Spiece Indy Heat.

Brooks picked up his offer from UNC back in early May and has a total of 21 offers including from Kentucky, Michigan State, Indiana, Louisville, and Michigan. He released his top back in June with 5 Big Ten schools listed along with UNC, Georgetown, Kentucky, UCLA, and Texas.

Williams and his staff have been in pursuit of Brooks for months now, hoping to land the talented wing.

Vernon Carey Jr., 2019 (Team Florida)

Another top recruit to keep an eye on is Vernon Carey Jr.

The forward has been on UNC’s radar for a long time now and the Tar Heels made his final five in May. They are joined by Duke, Michigan State, Kentucky and Miami in that five.

Carey Jr. is considered a lean to Duke right now as the Blue Devils are the trending pick in the 247 Sports Crystal Ball. UNC’s status with Carey Jr. remains the same heading into the Peach Jam and we expect Williams to be watching him throughout the tournament.

Trayce Jackson-Davis, 2019 (Spiece Indy Heat)

One of Brooks’ teammates has also received some interest from Williams and UNC.

Trayce Jackson-Davis is the No. 16th ranked player in the 2019 class and one of the top centers according to 247 Sports. Williams just recently showed interest in Jackson-Davis by contacting him at the end of June and has yet to offer the big man. The interest from the Tar Heels could increase with an impressive Peach Jam from the recruit.

Scottie Barnes, 2020 (Team Florida)

Scottie Barnes is one of the top players in the 2020 class and the Tar Heels have shown a lot of interest over the past few months. Williams and his staff watched the small forward at nearly every game in the Spring AAU EYBL session as he stood out among scouts.

The 6-foot-7 Barnes is ranked No. 3 by 247 Sports in the class and will play alongside Carey Jr. for the Peach Jam. With UNC expected to watch Team Florida, it will be interesting to see how many games they are in attendance for with both Barnes and Carey Jr. playing.

UNC has yet to offer Barnes.

Of course, these aren’t the only players UNC will watch this weekend. Several really good players in the 2019 and 2020 classes will be on hand and some new connections can come from this event.

Next: 5 Early storylines for the Tar Heels in 2018-19

Keeping It Heel will have full recaps and any breaking news from any recruit during the Peach Jam so make sure you keep checking back for the latest.

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